Animal Ordinances in San Antonio, TX (2026)
10 verified animal ordinances for San Antonio, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Dog Leash Laws
San Antonio requires dogs on leash in public. Off-leash in designated parks only. License and rabies vaccination required. TX HSC §822.013 covers dogs at large.
San Antonio Dog Leash Laws
Some RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code § 822.042
(a) Not later than the 30th day after a person learns that the person is the owner of a dangerous dog, the person shall:(1) register the dangerous dog with the animal control authority for the area in which the dog is kept;(2) restrain the dangerous dog at all times on a leash in the immediate control of a person or in a secure enclosure;(3) obtain liability insurance coverage or show financial...
Exotic Pets
San Antonio prohibits keeping wild and exotic animals within city limits under Chapter 5 of the Code of Ordinances. Prohibited species include non-human primates, wolf hybrids, coyotes, foxes, exotic cats, bears, skunks, raccoons, miniature Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs, and venomous species. The city defines nondomestic animals broadly, excluding only domestic cats, dogs, ferrets, rabbits, and similar household pets.
San Antonio Exotic Pet Regulations
Heavy RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code Sec. 822.101(4)
Sec. 822.101. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: ... (4) "Dangerous wild animal" means: (A) a lion; (B) a tiger; (C) an ocelot; (D) a cougar; (E) a leopard; (F) a cheetah; (G) a jaguar; (H) a bobcat; (I) a lynx; (J) a serval; (K) a caracal; (L) a hyena; (M) a bear; (N) a coyote; (O) a jackal; (P) a baboon; (Q) a chimpanzee; (R) an orangutan; (S) a gorilla; or (T) any hybrid of an animal listed in...
Wildlife Feeding
San Antonio addresses wildlife management through Chapter 5 of the Code of Ordinances and park regulations under Chapter 22. Feeding wildlife in city parks is restricted. The city has been developing specific ordinances to address the growing wild peafowl population, including proposals to require licensed handlers for peafowl relocation. General nuisance wildlife provisions apply under the existing animal code.
San Antonio Wildlife Feeding Restrictions
Some RestrictionsAnimal Hoarding
San Antonio Animal Care Services treats hoarding as cruelty under SAMC Chapter 5 and Texas Penal Code Section 42.092. ACS removes animals from neglectful conditions, and counts above pet limits without a kennel permit trigger seizure and prosecution.
San Antonio Animal Hoarding Enforcement
Heavy RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code § 821.021
In this subchapter:(1) "Cruelly treated" includes tortured, seriously overworked, unreasonably abandoned, unreasonably deprived of necessary food, care, or shelter, cruelly confined, caused to fight with another animal, or subjected to conduct prohibited by Section 21.09, Penal Code.(2) "Nonprofit animal welfare organization" means a nonprofit organization that has as its purpose:(A) the preven...
Pet Limits
San Antonio Municipal Code Chapter 5 caps household pets at eight dogs and cats combined, with no more than five of either species. Larger counts require an ACS kennel, hobby breeder, or rescue permit and are subject to inspection.
San Antonio Pet Limits per Household
Some RestrictionsCat Rules
San Antonio Municipal Code Chapter 5 treats cats as companion animals subject to rabies vaccination, ACS licensing, and humane care. Free-roaming cats may be impounded, and registered TNR caretakers ear-tip and return community cats under ACS protocols.
San Antonio Cat Rules and Rabies Vaccination
Some RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code § 826.014
(a) The commissioners court of a county may adopt ordinances or rules that establish a local rabies control program in the county and set local standards that are compatible with and equal to or more stringent than the program established by this chapter and the department rules adopted under this chapter.(b) County ordinances or rules adopted under this section supersede this chapter and the d...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
San Antonio is one of the strongest mandatory spay-neuter cities in Texas. SAMC Section 5-26 requires all dogs and cats over six months to be sterilized unless owners hold an Intact Animal Permit. ACS enforces with citations and impoundment of unaltered animals.
San Antonio Mandatory Spay-Neuter Ordinance
Heavy RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code § 828.002
Except as provided by Section 828.013, a releasing agency may not release a dog or cat for adoption unless the animal has been sterilized or the release is made to a new owner who signs an agreement to have the animal sterilized. Added by
Microchipping
San Antonio Municipal Code Section 5-26 requires every dog and cat over four months to be microchipped and registered to the owner. ACS scans impounded animals on intake, and unchipped pets cannot be licensed or reclaimed without compliance.
San Antonio Microchipping Required for Dogs and Cats
Heavy RestrictionsCoyote Management
San Antonio Animal Care Services follows a coexistence model for urban coyotes. ACS responds to aggressive coyotes, but routine sightings are managed through resident hazing, secured trash, and pet supervision rather than trapping or relocation.
San Antonio Coyote Management and Hazing
Some RestrictionsPet Store Rules
San Antonio Municipal Code Chapter 5 regulates pet stores through licensing, sanitation, and consumer disclosures. Texas does not impose a statewide retail puppy or kitten sale ban, and San Antonio has not enacted a humane sourcing ordinance like Austin or El Paso.
San Antonio Pet Store Sourcing Rules
Some RestrictionsTex. Occupations Code § 802.101
(a) A person may not act as, offer to act as, or represent that the person is a dog or cat breeder in this state unless the person holds a license under this chapter for each facility that the person owns or operates in this state. A license for a single facility may cover more than one building on the same premises.(b) The commission by rule may establish requirements for issuance or renewal o...
Looking for Bexar County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement San Antonio city rules.
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